Hi!
Newbie here from Toronto, Canada. I recently picked up an old LC-30 mill and plan to add steppers to get CNC control.

As a starting point I decided I would try to get a DRO working using Ditron magnetic scales and using Mach3 (demo mode) to display the coordinates.  I installed the X scale yesterday and connected it to the parallel port and played with the Counts/Unit setting in the Encoder tab of ports and pins and it's now working (sort of). If I move the table say 1" the DRO reading on the settings tab will usually be within 0.001", however if I spin the hand wheel as fast as I can for a few inches, it seems like I miss the odd pulse here and there (assumption at this point) and the error can be say 10-50 mils.

Perhaps I need to tweak either the velocity setting (presently default value of 100) or increase the Kernel speed (presently 25000Hz)

I'm finding the mach3 manual somewhat lacking in detail, I'm wondering if the copies I'm using are not the full blown manual? (Mach3Mill_1.84.pdf (5705KB) and Mach3Mill_Install_config.pdf (4213KB)

Hi all .I have been working on a 4 axis gecko 320x based controller.

Hi, my name is Richard, from Montego Bay, Jamaica. i run a sign shop making headstones . Bought a hasse router which was run by pc-nc a german program. I am now having to change the motors and drivers. my research is showing that i will get the most help by going with mach3 software. i hope i am not wrong.

Hi everyone my father and I just purchased a grizzly g0463 that was converted over to fully cnc x,y,z stepper motors 400 oz/in, gecko drivers, & Mach 3 software.

I am trying to remember back to when I ran a Prototrak for my G &.M code days but that was 17 years ago.  One question I have is how do you move the z axis.  I have the x, y down with the keyboard arrow just can't figure the z.

Thanks

 Bob

Hi Bob,

Welcome.

The Z axis is usually on the keyboard Page Up / Page Down keys.

Tweakie.

Thanks I will give  it a try

Bob

Newby here just bought a new CNC with a Mach3 USB controller, I'm having issues with it an need some help.

Thanks,
Joe

Hello my name is Ray and i live in Alberta Canada, I have many hobbies from antique cars to machine design and builds and cabinetwork. Since i am due to retire at the end of this year I took it upon myself to build a cnc plasma table which will allow me to make a little extra income .
I used a Tom Verity design which i modified to suit my needs i have water table in combination with side draft. i also built a sheet metal bender on the front of it as shop space is a premium and there is only one of me performing work at any one time. I am using sheetcam but of course need to become more knowledgeable to get full use out of it. I am currently using Mach 3 version.67 which when I purchased a license was downloadable. I do not see that as an option any more just version 66. i recently installed a THC but as of yet cannot get it to work properly. i was wondering which version of Mach 3 most people are using  as the most stable and reliable and also in sheetcaman what Post Processor would be recommended for Plasma with editable backlash compensation and THC?

Good day to you all.  My name is Ron Norton, living in Daytona Beach FL.   I have a small shop that I make parts for hot rods and custom cars that venders sell at car shows.  I have been involed in hot rods and race cars for over 50 years.  I got involed in CNC machining a few years ago when I hired a machinest who could program.  Years have gone by, the econemy went south and now I work alone making what I can.   

I have a Chevalier knee mill (new in 1996)  with a Southwestern M3 controler that has been replaced several times and is dead again (parts are no longer available).  I would likeTO  replace the controler with Mach4.  Does anyone know if Mach4 will work with the 110V AC servo motors that I already have?  Thanks for any help.

Have a Great Day

Hi racewayron,
welcome aboard. Mach4 doesn't drive your servos directly, Mach4 lives on a PC which in turn talks to a motion controller (an electronic board worth
a couple of hundred dollars or so) and that tells your 110V servo drives what to do.

The trick for you is to determine 'what instructions/voltages/signals' do your drives require which will in turn determine the sort of motion controller you
will require. I suspect you will find that the 'Mach' part of a Mach4 conversion will be easy....the motion controller to servo drive link will probably
have you scratching your head for a bit.

Do you have any manuals, particularly circuit diagrams, of your mill? They would help enormously.

Craig